The final budget numbers for Gaston County Schools are in – and 31 teacher assistants have lost their jobs.

School officials were able to save 19 other jobs that were on the chopping block – those TAs were moved into other teacher assistant jobs thanks to federal money earmarked for disadvantaged schools.

There is a possibility that seven of the 31 teacher assistant positions will be rehired at the start of the school year, but that remains unclear.

Gaston County joins a growing list of school districts that have been forced to make difficult cuts as the 2013-14 school year approaches.

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While the debate rages on about whether or not North Carolina’s General Assembly actually made damaging cuts to public schools with the 2013-15 budget, NC Policy Watch is keeping a running tally of education funding cuts that local school districts are coping with as they open up for the 2013-14 academic year.

The list below links to stories in local media that detail the funding cuts at the school district level. The information in these stories is subject to change. This list will be continually updated; if you have a report to add, please email lindsay@ncpolicywatch.com.

Alamance-Burlington:

17 teaching positions lost;

35 teacher assistant positions lost;

2 assistant principal positions lost;

3 directors lost;

4 student-support psychologist positions lost;

$1.6 million in cuts for classroom supplies, technology and staff development [The Times News]

Brunswick County:

19 teacher assistant positions lost;

Instructional supplies reduced by $48,407; planning to restore with local funds. However, the per pupil amount will likely decrease slightly because we have the same amount of funding and anticipate more students. [Officials from Brunswick County Public Schools]

Buncombe County:

24 teacher assistants lost;

Teacher assistants who remain will face reduced hours and days on the job. [Black Mountain News]